Disclaimer: I own nothing connecting to the Naruto Franchise
One More Time
Chapter 3: Adjusted Plans
Naruto sighed softly tugging her team as quickly as she could past the commotion Lee and Tenten were making before the false exam room.
Sasuke and Sakura gave the blonde inquiring looks but Naruto ignored them both in favor of charging forward. That was until Lee caught sight of Sakura and broke away to flirt with the girl.
Sasuke and Sakura eyed Naruto who looked to be questioning the sage of six paths at that moment. The blonde was mumbling and asking 'why' continuously from the moment the green clad boy stepped up. Though in that moment Sakura was a bit horrified to be hit on by the bowl cut boy.
"Look bushy brows, we got somewhere we gotta be." Naruto glanced back at Lee looking exasperated as he tried to pick a fight with Sasuke. The angry look on the blondes face made Sasuke hesitate though.
In this lifetime the Uchiha respected the Uzumaki and usually followed Naruto's opinion. This Sasuke was must less abrasive as he had not had to live a life of horror. He had his family and brother actively in his life and despite a little healthy competitiveness in his veins he was not a self destructive force.
In fact he was far less hotheaded and helped Naruto keep Sakura compliant enough to work together. Their talking took long enough that Neji came to collect his teammates, but he eyed Naruto a bit too long for her liking.
Neji had known Naruto was a woman from their first fight in the exam finals. He never really spoke about it, but the blonde knew he had been embarrassed by finding out the way he did. He only broached the topic once away from prying ears and kept her secret till she had come back from her training trip years later.
Naruto had always felt immense guilt at Neji's death. His death haunted her to this day. She didn't know what kind of expression she had on her face but Neji looked confused as Naruto desperately pulled her teammates away from team Gai.
Flashbacks of blood and tears, his whispered words telling Naruto he loved her before he died. Naruto was brought back into focus by Kakashi gripping her shoulders as both Sasuke and Sakura looked on with concern. It seemed she had led her team away toward their sensei while she was submerged in her dark thoughts.
"I'm fine...just too into my thoughts I guess. I'll be okay though I promise." Naruto looked up to Kakashi's single gaze, her temporary horror faded and she was back to herself.
Kakashi hesitated but nodded letting the team charge off into the room. Now he was a bit unsure if he had made the right decision sending into the exams so soon.
He could only hope they got through this situation intact both mentally and physically.
-OMT-
Naruto huffed softly nearly having been mowed down by Ino. Shikamaru easily tucked her into his side just in time though and Naruto let her teammate suffer under Ino's bone crushing hug. Sakura was already yelling in Ino's face so Naruto kept her distance despite Sasuke's pleading gaze.
"They just let anyone into these exams, don't they?" Kiba smirked eyeing the blonde and Naruto rolled her eyes.
"Well duh, you're here, aren't you?" She withheld a snicker as Kiba growled at her but Hinata was doing what she could to calm down the hotheaded boy. Naruto had long ago ensured Hinata would not have a crush on her this go around. It was simple really all she did was state that she was into guys.
Hinata had been momentarily shocked finding out her crush was 'gay' but it did it's work. The girl had wasted too many years on a crush that would not go anywhere, and Naruto made sure she didn't do it again.
Then again it would save her the embarrassment it did the last time around when everyone found out Naruto was in fact female.
The group of rookies had kept pretty much to themselves but Kabuto still approached them.
Naruto and Shikamaru both stiffened drawing then attention of their teammates. Shino was observant enough to also keep his teammates separated from him and silent as well.
Ino was tugged back to Shikamaru and he and choji kept the girl silent while they were hostile toward the stranger.
Naruto had warned her team before they stepped into the building to trust no one but the other rookies. Naruto had a pact with Shikamaru and Shino trusted and acknowledged only the Uzumaki and Nara. They had been often put together for group activities in school. The lazy ass, the smart ass and the pain in the ass.
Shino long ago knew they both were good reads on individuals and ensured to follow their lead when necessary. The fact that they both reacted badly to this Kabuto guy only made the bug user suspicious of the glasses wearing teenager.
Kabuto had hoped to get a little trust built up so he could later on observe team seven. Orochimaru was interested in Sasuke as the boy seemed weak enough for him to overtake. He eyed Sasuke but a blonde head blocked his view and Kabuto focused on the cold blue gaze of Uzumaki Naruto.
The leaf villages jinchuriki and someone Kabuto was interested in medically speaking. Orochimaru though was not as fascinated with the bijuu container so he could not approach the kid. People that went against the blonde tended to step on the wrong toes and were generally exposed.
Kabuto figured it had to do with the fact that many people had not realized the blonde had anbu invested in the containers development. Having spies watching over every move made the jinchuriki's enemies easy to spot so to stay safe you kept far from Naruto and the watchdogs.
Though now that the boy was no longer under such observation it could be a good moment to strike. He would consult with Orochimaru at a later time but it would seem his welcome was not as warm as he would have thought. So Kabuto retreated intent on finding more information on Naruto and Sasuke to bring back to his master.
-OMT-
Naruto sat idle almost bored as Ibiki tried to intimidate the rest of the room about the tenth question. The blonde had warned off Sakura and Sasuke about these kind of tactics already and she was not worried about her teammates this time.
Ibiki was the same as Naruto remembered. Tall pale and in all black like a threatening pillar. She had faced much more frightening evils, Ibiki was not even on that list.
When Anko crashed through the window she knew she had passed the first part of these exams. She was still the same purple haired loud woman. Naruto remembered something in that instant though, Anko of this time was still marred by Orochimaru's curse mark.
She rubbed her chin in thought wondering what to do to fix that problem. She already knew how to deconstruct the seal the only problem was getting the crazy snake lady to agree to it being done. Well, she had to agree for it being done by a snotty teenager like her.
She'd bring it up to Shikaku at a later date and he could get word passed to Anko, the decision was entirely on the snake mistresses shoulders.
It didn't take long for her and her team to be relocated to a gate at the forest of death.
Shikamaru already dictating his and his teams course and for Naruto to lay low with a reminder that snakes roamed the woods. Naruto understood the hidden message and took to telling her team to be on guard while in the forest.
Naruto contemplated telling her team the truth while secluded in the woods but knew it was unbelievable and honestly Naruto did not want to deal with the possible ramifications of telling two teens her deep dark secret. It would have made this all easier but she knew it would also complicate the hell out of her life later on.
They had a heavens scroll like last time and once the gates opened Naruto easily led her team deep into the woods. This time she made sure to lead them the opposite way from the last time they were in the forest of death. Careful, quiet and each already marked with a hidden seal.
It was made by the blonde to ensure if they were separated they would be able to identify one another as no one could replicate the seals and she even showed her teammates how to activate them for a check. They would each glow if it was the correct person.
Naruto knew knowledge of seals was uncommon so it would be impossible for anyone to replicate the work and actually make it work.
Team seven came upon a group of sound shinobi who had the earth scroll, after silent observation with Sasuke's Sharingan and several clones provided by Naruto the other group was taken down and Sakura collected the scroll for them.
The blonde made this quick, they had to get out of these woods before Orochimaru could locate them. Naruto's sensory abilities were working overtime and she would always remember the snake sannins chakra signature. He was far off searching in the original immediate area team seven had entered from.
With that fearful thought Naruto made three clones had two of them transform into her teammates and sent them out in his direction to distract the snake bastard. Naruto led her team straight to the tower, she was sure they would be breaking a record here but Naruto was more focused on ensuring her teams safety than keeping her abilities that tightly under check.
Once they crossed the entrance to the tower only hours into their venture in Naruto pulled out both scrolls and it summoned a guilty and surprised looking Iruka once more.
He congratulated them and Naruto listened with half an ear until Kakashi came greeting his students looking them over and ensuring to feed them for the day. Iruka left quickly afterward.
By nightfall Shikamaru and his team joined them and called forth their sensei who seemed proud of them. Asuma was teased by Kakashi about his students being first though and Naruto an Shikamaru shared a commiserating look with one another.
By the next day Gaara and his team joined them all in the large hall. Afternoon that time Team Gai was surprised to face three teams ahead them and their own team. Neji intently focused on Naruto who did everything to play down her role in her teams advancement.
Neji was nosy and she would not have him being a busybody about this right now. Naruto and Shikamaru separated themselves and quietly began working on seals much to the delight of Kakashi who was allowed to freely observe their combined work.
Sasuke too watched Naruto work while Ino and Sakura argued in the background about Sasuke. Choji was doing his best to mediate the situation with no help from the adults.
Soon Shino, Kiba and Hinata entered the large room as well, and sequestered themselves away to call their own sensei. Naruto felt a familiar pulls of chakra and quickly put her sealing equipment away with Shikamaru's help.
They both stopped answering questions and everyone tensed and turned to see Kabuto and his team enter the building.
Kakashi frowned at his team wondering what happened for Naruto, his friendly and social genin to be so wary of the seemingly weak teenager. Of his three students Naruto was the most forgiving and open toward others, and to his knowledge Kabuto was just a medical nin.
Kakashi would need to look into this because this was not normal. He glanced to see even Shikamaru keeping his own team away from the leaf shinobi and Kakashi knew there had to be more to this situation he was missing.
Kabuto hesitated after they call their sensei, none of the groups seemed inviting to interact with. Especially since The Jinchuriki was glaring him off with the rookie nine behind the container.
Team Gai was generally unfriendly and he was uninterested in learning about the team.
The sand shinobi with Gaara were a threat all on their own and the red head looked as if he'd kill him just for approaching him.
So Kabuto moved away from the hostile ninja wondering what he did to offend the blonde to get him turned against the rookies.
A team of sound ninja that Naruto recognized from her first life came through the door just an hour before the second half of the exam ended. This time the blonde had not had the unfortunate moments to meet them, it meant Sakura did not have to go through her ordeal with them this time.
What that would mean for their future the blonde wasn't sure of but it meant for now she would be safe to face off Ino again.
When the hokage arrived and Naruto watched as Kubuto left she could not help but notice Kakashi tense. It wasn't just her sensei either, but the blonde filed away that information for another time.
As matches started up Naruto watched them all essentially fall into the same patterns as before. It was still embarrassing to see Sakura and Ino both lose and Naruto had frowned at that. Sure, the pink haired girl was not all that strong but it was strange to see her have not even tried to develop further than what Naruto had taught her.
Shikamaru was in the same situation with Ino as he was sure of a few things. Choji asked him questions about training, sparred with the normally lazy teen. Naruto spoke of the same instances with Sasuke, so it was strange to note that despite the offerings neither girl took initiative to better themselves unless needed.
Sasuke's fight was pretty similar to how he went about it the first time. It wasn't due to the curse mark holding him back but due to Sasuke not showing his current artillery of skills just yet.
Shikamaru used just as little effort to take down the same girl from the sound group. It was an exact play by play of the previous fight that had Naruto pouting.
Naruto for her part just overwhelmed Kiba this time, holding both him and Akamaru down while keeping herself at a safe distance. She observed the protector bored until he called the match and Kiba had been so embarrassed after having boasted about beating Naruto.
For Neji and Hinata's fight once the match was called Neji could not dare take another step toward the beaten up girl. Naruto had thrown several kunai stopping the teen in his tracks and Shikamaru used his shadows to hold him back. He had barely stepped forward but as if it was anticipated he was stopped and easily. That grated on the older teen in a way he didn't enjoy.
Everyone collectively tensed as Hinata fell to her knees but in a blink of an eye Naruto was there already catching her. The blonde had not wasted all those years of chakra training for nothing. She knew a small bit of medical ninjutsu from her years of being under the watch of grandma Tsunade and her Sakura. Especially toward the end when she had to learn it because their med nin were dying in droves.
This time she had the control to learn more but she would rather stick to the simple stuff for now. The glowing green of her hand made several adults stop from moving forward. Naruto pressed healing energy like a balm over Hinata's heart until a med nin moved forward to take over. Though by the most of the damage was prevented and Hinata only needed a little more help to be fine.
Naruto didn't speak but Shikamaru was at her side when he released Neji and her eyes were deep blue like a raging storm. "I'll find a way to repay you for her, guy's like you piss me off." Naruto dismissed Neji before he could speak angering the older boy but Shikamaru only snickered at him following Naruto back up the stairs. The adults that had moved down to possibly intervene were each gob smacked at the two genin who were effortless in their interference.
Kakashi really looked at Naruto when the blonde returned to their group. His student was stone faced and silent, it didn't bode well for her possible future opponent or the Hyuga boy if she had to face him. Kakashi really wished he had not promised Itachi he would train his younger brother for the finals. The Uchiha heir had been smart to get the Hatake to agree to that before the kids even stepped foot in the chunin exam facility. Sasuke's older brother was a smart kid and Kakashi internally pouted at not being the one to train the blonde.
With the excitement over they all returned their attention back to the fights.
All the fights were essentially the same save for Gaara and Lee's. This time the red head held bushy brows down under a wall of sand, not crushing him but keeping his head free to breath. He too watched the proctor until the man called the match.
For most fights it was anticlimactic but a smart tactic to use. You could see from most of the adults they were impressed by some of the restraint showcased and also by the few kids who showcased little of their skills before the finals.
It was impressive as the select few only showed off skills that were general knowledge. Kakashi was practically beaming under his mask aggressively petting Naruto and Sasuke who had gotten through to the finals.
He was the only one with a rookie team that had gotten two members through rather than one.
Though once he saw Naruto would be facing Neji the next round his smile faded quickly and his mind scrambled to think of a good teacher for the Uzumaki. It couldn't be that difficult…right?
-OMT-
Naruto rolled her eyes when Kakashi arrived at her home the next day Ebisu in tow. He was offering him up as a teach to which Naruto politely declined before shutting the door in their faces. Naruto hadn't even gone out of her way to ask Kakashi to be her sensei this time, but he still had to train Sasuke and apart from that funnily enough brought Ebisu to train her.
She was a little insulted and ignored the incessant knocking from her door from her sensei telling her she needed someone to guide her. Really that was doubtful, he just wanted someone to be her keeper if he could not do it.
"I'm not trading one pervert for a lower tier pervert, only the king of perverts will do now." Naruto hollered this back and slipped out the window of her apartment and heading toward the women's baths. It was time to introduce herself to said king of perverts.
Naruto breezed through the village landing swiftly in the hot springs entrance. Slipping to the back she spotted the mane of white hair easily and deadpanned hearing him giggle.
"Oi, king of perverts that really creepy to do ya know." Naruto watched Jiraiya jolt and turn to look at the small pre teen dressed in blacks and burnt orange clothing. Jiraiya could see the headband of the leaf village on the kid and could easily see the blonde was part of the leaf shinobi force. The pre teen looked very familiar to someone he had lost long ago, someone who had died. Two someone's actually but it would be impossible right, they told him their kid didn't make it.
He was also confused as he had been unable to sense the kid's arrival. Very few people could sneak up on him let alone a genin.
"Hey brat, what's your name?" Jiraiya eyed the far to familiar kid who snickered.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki and boy do I have a story to tell you pervy sage." Naruto smiled blindingly bright stunning Jiraiya.
"Oi don't call me a pervy sage!" Jiraiya huffed but realized the name of the kid was the same as the one who the toads years back had made sign the toad contract.
Uzumaki, he had thought the kid would have red hair as most of the scattered clan did but no, blonde. Bright golden hair very much like the man who fathered him. It was so easy to see Minato in his boy, Kushina was there in some of the kids face the coloring and all around softness of the kid's looks were definitely Minato.
He had been told Naruto had died soon after the nine tailed beast attack, after being kicked out of the orphanage at three and disappearing for a year. He had thought Minato bound the Bijuu to the kids life so there would be no nine tailed fox to appear after his death. No one had told him Minato's and Kuchina's child had lived, and Jiraiya was not happy to be out of the loop.
Naruto was glad to be reunited with the big pervert but needed to get him to be willing to train her again. She would not be able to say shit about being from the future until the old pervert and her were miles away from the hidden village and all the spies still scattered throughout the leaf.
Besides they were awaiting the invasion and she could not risk the sage changing things as it was going to be a tight rope to walk as it was, and Gaara was already helping from his end.
Hours later a worried Kakashi finally found Naruto standing atop a toad scolding Jiraiya…Kakashi swiftly turned around and trudged his way to take Sasuke so they could train.
Naruto got his wish, only the king of perverts would do for a student of his. Always so damn unpredictable that Uzumaki was.
-OMT-
Naruto spent a month training with Jiraiya though it was quite different. She already knew most of what he threw at her and found she would separate her chakra's power from the bijuu with ease as well. She summoned Gamabuta and Pa separately leaving the sage sitting there stunned.
Gamabuta greeted Naruto with familiarity and respect which threw the sage for a loop himself. Though once he found out that the little blonde knew about fuinjutsu he took that course of training and made Naruto expand further on it. He figured after the chinin exams he could teach the kid his fathers legacy, the rasengan.
It really was a pain teaching a prodigy. Though it made him nostalgic of his time with Minato.
Despite being tricked into becoming the kids sensei, Jiraiya could not deny that he was pleased in a way to teach the kid. Despite the cloud of melancholy that surrounded the boy, Naruto really was an optimistic kid. He gave Jiraiya hope, real tangible hope he hadn't felt in such a long time.
Naruto ensured to stick to the pervy sages side while he shoved as much knowledge about nature chakra and fuinjutsu into her head. She had the delight in telling him she had already accomplished her sage training with the toads. All her previous knowledge came with her and after years of learning how to control and hone her skills, Pa stuck with her for several weeks making her relearn how to draw in nature chakra.
He even took her back to the mount for a few months during her academy days to ensure she got a full handle on slipping into sage mode without turning into stone. It hadn't taken long and for that the blonde had been grateful. Surviving off of Ma's cooking was just as difficult as the first time. Really, bugs do not taste that good and the wiggly slimy ones kept even her away from ramen for a few weeks after her return.
With her supposed prodigal abilities and her harem justsu at hand it kept Jiraiya's attention on training her. Throughout the month Naruto delt with Jiraiya's antics and the familiarity of working with him made her comfortable quickly enough.
Though Jiraiya seemed to almost want to constantly check over her seal after the first few times of using Karuma's chakra with ease for certain practice.
The month went by far too quickly for Naruto who was more tensed up as the days drew closer to the match. The day before she bid goodbye to her new mentor and settled for a day of rest for her body but strategy at the Nara household. Shikaku had gone to the hokage about the budding seal specialist and with Jiraiya at her side Naruto was able to fully remove Orochimaru's cursed seal on Anko in the middle of the month. It had greatly impressed the hokage and the snake lady herself.
Jiraiya was immensely jealous at Naruto's natural talent but it came with the territory of being an Uzumaki.
OMT
So, Naruto was sat on a plush pillow giving play by play time frames and details she could recall. Shikamaru filled in any gaps and they included perspectives they heard from their sensei's at later dates.
Her world narrowed down to the next few days and the blonde having been occupied for the month only got a few notifications from Gaara. A few days prior Shikaku had taken word to the hokage about confirming that an invasion would come sometime during the chunin exams. With only the finals being the remaining part of said exam they could all conclude something was coming tomorrow but to be wary of spreading word.
Shikaku and Shikamaru had been busy during the month and found enough evidence against Kabuto being a spy.
Oddly enough he had disappeared right after exiting the forest of death, Naruto had been unsure if he had done so the first time or not. Of if someone had hinted to him about that people were onto him.
That was an unanswered question that none of them knew how to proceed with. It did open the opportunity that there were more spies in the leaf.
They worked over strategies to keep loss of life at a minimum but no matter what there would be a loss of life. Even if they had told the hokage about the invasion from the moment they came back it would have left far too much to chance.
Hiruzen might have tried to cancel the exam being held but that would have put the treaty with Suna on worse waters. Even with several months planning all it could have done was left more opportunity for someone to slip and let the wrong person know about the invasion and everything would have definitely gone to hell then.
The limited time meant less chance for someone to slip up. It gave them a saving grace if someone did slip up they would not really have time to get word to someone in control of it all to stop proceedings. Like a row of dominoes once you knock down one the rest must fall. If you thrust your hand out to try and stop it you risk some pieces to scatter and those pieces can cause a greater mess than the one originally created.
Or something like that…Naruto really had some difficulty following some of Shikamaru's and his father's mindsets. She could input her own ideas but she also had moments where they went off being poetic and it escaped her.
It grew late into the evening and Naruto with the help of Yoshino forced both Nara into rest. It wasn't war they could risk a little sleep, and Naruto was then bullied by Yoshino to stay the night.
Yoshino had long learned of Naruto's true gender but the blonde trusted the woman as she had kept it to herself the first time as well.
Though it led to the Nara matriarch to persist on looking over the blonde as often as Naruto allowed her. Especially after learning just where Naruto lived, you could say Yoshino had nearly had a meltdown. She didn't think it was an environment for a young girl to grow up in but the blonde didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't her first time living such a life.
Naruto slept in a guest room that Yoshino had practically turned into the blonde's room. Naruto rose early the next morning, her stomach feeling like lead but forced down some food before dragging off Shikamaru to the arena.
Yoshino was running around the Nara compound helping to relocate the women and children of their clan alongside the other clans so there would be no chance for kidnaping while the invasion went on.
Naruto sighed realizing they would have to wait out Sasuke and Kakashi again. Those damn bastards were going to piss her off but she knew for a fact they were just hidden off in the distance awaiting the perfect moment to arrive.
She really didn't understand their methods but accepted them easily enough.
Kakashi would not be Kakashi is he wasn't late especially to important events.
-OMT-
Naruto's match was astoundingly swift and humiliating for Neji. He realized almost immediately that the blonde was a woman, he had probably tried to use his eyes to find any hidden weapons and got more of an eyeful than he expected. Baggy clothes do hide a lot.
She took that moment of shocked distraction to move in with a gravity seal pressed into one of his shoulders. The match didn't last long as soon afterward he was immobilized on half of his body and she was already holding a Kunai to his throat bending his free arm at an awkward angle.
People were shocked, the fight had started and ended in a mere few moments. Naruto still had to endure Neji's speech about fate and the blonde snorted once she had his body and throat trapped.
"You will find I am not a big believer in fate Neji. In any life, any past, present or future I will have the drive and strength of will to take it down and shape it to my desire. Fate does not determine anything for me, or else the big strong man would have won, right?" Her eyes looked down challenging at the Hyuga who blushed but could only concede her logic.
"You're small, how the hell are you holding my arm down. You aren't even trying, it effortless for you and that should be impossible for your build." It was true Neji was straining against the blondes hold and Naruto lifted a brow.
"That's the thing about fate and expectations, people are out there to definitely ruin every single one of them." Naruto looked up to Genma as he called the match declaring her the winner after several minutes of the Hyuga being under her easy control.
Naruto freed Neji and took off the gravity seal before helping the teen to stand. "Lighten up though, you'll never find a wife with that stick up your ass. Then again you are like Sasuke you both have fangirls no matter how far you shove that thing." Naruto laughed at her crass words and walked away almost at peace and happy Neji will be mobile to help with the invasion.
There was barely a scratch on him and he would be rested to join the fight later.
Naruto knew she did a good job. She moved to the stands and settled down next to a grumbling Shikamaru who readied himself up. He knew what was coming they would skip Sasuke and Kankuro would give up his fight against Shino.
Naruto shoved him in the arena and he would not go through that twice so he made his was down intent on a quick warmup before taking down Temari.
The crowd was buzzing in excitement for Sasuke's arrival but knew he would not arrive just yet. Two people split and settled on each side of the blonde.
Naruto jolted noting Itachi and Shisui sitting on either side of her. Trapping her and making her grumble annoyed.
"That was a good match Uzumaki san." Itachi spoke softly and Naruto inclined her head in acknowledgment. Shisui was like an excited puppy compared to Itachi's stoic reaction.
She could practically feel every clan heads gaze on her, Particularly Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha. Naruto sighed heavily glancing to her older monotone companion.
"I'm so surprised you could get one over on the Hyuga that quickly." Shisui was in awe of the girl who had to be several years his junior. "Strong, independent women are so my type blondie." Naruto groaned with an effort to keep from punching the curly haired Uchiha.
Itachi seamed to be looking off in the distance and Naruto snorted drawing his attention toward her. "Hey, so Sasuke's going to be a little late. One of us has to catch Kakashi's habit of being late or else where would the world be?" Naruto smiled brightly at the small smile that set on the older teens face.
They finally made the call to delay Sasuke's match and moved onto Shino and Kankuro. The conversation about the forfeit would take up a few minutes as well before it was time for Shika to shine…err well not shine but you got the metaphor.
"My father wishes to meet with you sometime in the future Uzumaki san." The blonde sighed again before glancing back to the Uchiha clan head.
"Damn, he knows doesn't he." It wasn't a question more of a statement made by the blonde.
Shisui looked a bit guilty and flushed when Naruto turned around to hear Kankuro give up the battle.
"I let the cat out of the bag when asking Itachi if Sasuke knew he had two female teammates not one. We both worried Sasuke had become a man without us being knowledgeable about it." Naruto frowned but shrugged the worry off.
She could defend herself if need be and she was Shinobi now, the civilian council had little to know control over her and she did not fear anyone trying to rape her. If someone tried she's just kick their ass.
"It's fine, not like I could hide my secret forever." The blonde shook her head and watched Shikamaru step out to face Temari.
"You guys feel the shift in the air, and did you notice puppet boy didn't want to fight in the finals. It's happening soon, you can taste the tension in the atmosphere, and it has nothing to do with the matches." Itachi warily watched Naruto but he could only agree with her assessment.
"Don't worry babe if you want us to play hero for you just say the word." Shisui spoke snickering making Naruto laugh loud and surprised.
"In your dreams." She stood waving the two off heading toward Sakura. She would be the one in need of protection when shit went down.
Naruto aimed her gaze down to the arena. Shikamaru was already fighting Temari and the blonde let her mind wander for a moment. In their past Shikamaru and Temari had dated and even married briefly, that was until her death that was.
Naruto knew he had confessed to her but it had been at the end of a war. It had been years after he had lost his then wife and she wasn't sure if Shikamaru had forgotten all about his panicked confession before being dragged back.
It was why she never brought it up, or pursued anything with the Nara. Her heart clenched in fear but she knew she had already fallen for him. Long ago when she had first met the smart boy. A smart boy kind enough to give a starving kid half his lunch everyday.
Naruto had loved Shikamaru for so long but her own insecurities we're what held the girl back. They were also what kept her from trying to make it work this time, as she didn't know if she stood in his heart still or if he loved her because she was there.
She still loved him, wasn't that just a bitch.
-OMT-
Shikamaru's shadows wretched away Temari's fan and bound her legs. They wound up a body he was familiar with binding her arms as well. Coming back in time as he was made a lot come into perspective for the Nara.
One he knew his marriage to the sand shinobi would not have lasted past the war they fought. She had always sought out Suna shinobi and they fought like cats and dogs.
It had not been healthy and it had been idiotic on his end to agree with marrying her. Though at the time they thought she had been pregnant, it had been a false alarm but they were still married by then. They cohabitated but it was difficult to love his wife when he was in love with an oblivious blonde knucklehead whose only concern had been about keeping their village safe and becoming their next hokage.
This time he would not make the same mistake. He could not use Temari as a shield to hide away from the hurt of his love for Naruto. He would pursue her this time…all the way this time. Even if it was scary he had a goal other than saving the world here.
Could you blame him really, he's just a man and Naruto hadn't outright rejected him. He knew her like he knew his mind, so long as she didn't reject him he would have a chance. Shikamaru came back from his thoughts when Genma called the match declaring him the winner, he set his past life's wife down turned and walked off. His gaze met Naruto's beautiful blues and he scaled the high wall just to get to her that much quicker. Naruto laughed but tugged him over and despite everyone thinking Naruto was a boy he felt an urge to kiss her.
Right there in front of everyone, he was lucky Sakura came and interrupted their moment. He also cursed her for ruining his momentary thought as well but he promised himself that one day he would get that kiss.
-OMT-
Kakashi eyed Naruto who looked up at her sensei unapologetic. He was cupping his crotch after being kicked right between his legs while Sakura scolded him like a child. Hey, they got there didn't they…sure Sasuke got there a bit late but he was alive and he even brought him back with all his fingers too.
"Stop being late Bakashi sensei." Naruto's cold and angered gaze sent shivers down her sensei's spine.
Maybe Naruto was still pissed about the whole Ebisu thing.
Honestly she was beyond pissed but she was also forgiving, she'd let it go…eventually.
Kakashi got a good look at Naruto though, he looked different. Still the same beauty was in the face of the boy but he looked softer? His hair was longer touching his shoulders now, still a slight mess but still artfully falling around his face. His blonde student seemed to have gotten a bit taller and more…curves which was peculiar for a man but not outrageous.
Shaking the thought away Kakashi was then tugged down to the blonde's height and she murmured words so low he was lucky to have heard them.
"They found out an invasion is to occur today, here." Naruto pulled back and Kakashi kept a calm expression but was nodded stood and walked off to get ahead of the problem.
Naruto glanced down and saw the fight between Gaara and Sasuke was already underway.
Gaara was mostly using his sand as a wall keeping Sasuke far from him and keeping himself far enough away. His teal eyes followed every move Sasuke made as carefully as possible. Gaara didn't want to hurt him but he also didn't want to get hurt himself. Even when Sasuke used Chidori on the sand shinobi Gaara swept himself far away letting the Uchiha rip apart a wall of sand.
He was just buying them time for Orochimaru to give the signal and for Sasuke to at least showcase some of his skillset before all hell went loose.
Shikamaru nudged Naruto and they both spotted the floating feathers before several people began falling under the genjutsu.
"Kai!" Both Naruto and Shikamaru shouted this and with Naruto's wave of power it kept the other rookies from being affected by the genjutsu. Itachi and Shisui were already gone and most of the clan heads were engaged in a fight. Gaara had trapped his siblings holding them gently but firmly in his sand despite their protest.
He dropped a disgruntled Sasuke at Naruto's feet and they both turned to look in the hokage's direction. A tower like prison was erected and Naruto cursed realizing the hokage was trapped instantaneously when it all went down. Though her eyes did spot several anbu within the see through walls.
"I warned you both it was not father, my demon forewarned me of the impostor." Gaara spoke over to the two stunned siblings he had and they watched Orochimaru rip away the guise of the Kazekage.
"You know if he had pretended to be father, you realize what it will mean." Gaara spoke calm as when he came into awareness he knew his father had been dead for a long while now. Orochimaru had been posing as the Kazekage for months by the time of the exams.
Several shinobi were upon the group of rookies but Naruto and Shikamaru split up quickly and killed several. Gaara was right behind them using his sand to pierce or crush the few that slipped past the pair.
"Shit." Naruto recognized Kiba's voice and it was full of dread but Naruto did not have time to worry about what her friends would think of her for slitting a mans throat.
"The hokage is trapped you guy's I have a plan to help out the old man but I'll need everyone's help for it." Naruto turned to the group who agreed without hesitation. Sakura and Ino were sent with Choji to go wake any shinobi that had not stopped the genjutsu in time.
Gaara and his siblings went off to stop the higher ranked officials of their village to pull out and lessen the number of shinobi fighting.
Kiba, Hinata and Shino were sent out to ensure any civilians or stragglers were secured toward the evac points. Especially any near the position of the hokage.
The blonde pulled out several exploding tags and shoved them into Sasuke's and Shikamaru's arms. She created a clone and sent it off as well.
They needed to take down that wall.
Several more clones were made to offer support for the remaining shinobi of the leaf and one was sent to lead the sand siblings away once it was all over.
Naruto's team split up and a second clone followed after Sasuke. She and Shikamaru could handle themselves but Sasuke was another story, he was still fresh faced in this timeframe.
It was simple really to attach the exploding tags to the end points of each corner of the tower of energy. The hard part was that there was a bad guy on each end. The easier part was realizing they could not take their hands or focus off the tower or they would lose control of it.
Easy as pie to leave several exploding tags and running off. It was satisfying to watch it all crumble down. Orochimaru stared down the blonde who seemed to have orchestrated the plot and Naruto took that time to use her extra clones to mangle the snake bastards arms.
Exploding clones had so many uses.
Orochimaru did escape, not unscathed but he was still gone and a loose end Naruto needed to handle at some time soon. The third hokage was alive though so that had to count for something.
-OMT-
After all was said and done Naruto was stuffed into a chair before the third hokage. Jiraiya was seated next to her and practically doted on the kid, it was peculiar as he had not been as deeply fascinated the first time but then again he was in front of the third Hokage.
"Jiraiya must leave the village to bring back my future successor as hokage, he has expressed a willingness to take you along his travels. I have given consent but wished for your input as well." Hiruzen eyed the quiet girl who looked between them both before smiling bright and wide.
"I'll go so long as he tries his best to behave himself." Naruto deadpanned and jerked her thumb at the now pouting sage.
"Oi brat, I'll have you know I behave myself all the time." Jiraiya sniffed derisively and his blonde counter part yawned before glancing his way.
"Sorry did you say something?" That made Jiraiya huff but it eased the hokage knowing Naruto would be able to handle and hold up against the toad sage.
"Alright several things need to be addressed." Naruto looked back to Hiruzen who had chosen to speak but looked directly at her.
"Let me guess, you finally decided to tell me my father is the fourth." Naruto saw a flash of worry color the thirds face and Naruto waved him off.
"I won't say anything I've known for years though. I mean I look like the guy and his statue and pictures practically decorate the village." Naruto sounded exasperated but Hiruzen seemed settled by that. Jiraiya eyed his blonde student speculatively though you could practically see the questions floating behind his steel colored eyes.
"Well there was that topic to broach yes, but it was about your promotion." Hiruzen brought out a vest and certificate handing it over to the young teen. Naruto held back tears as this was the first time she was given the rank.
Her last life she went from a genin to Hokage and this time she hoped to live each rank before taking up the mantel of hokage once more.
"Thanks Jiji." Naruto hugged the vest and certificate tightly before Hiruzen aimed his gaze at Jiraiya.
"Now before you leave with Naruto, there is something you must know." Jiraiya stiffened at the seriousness of the third's tone.
"Naruto is female, I and others have insisted she pretend to appear as a boy to protect herself." Jiraiya short circuited for a brief moment before looking down at the happy blonde who was still gushing over her vest. Jiraiya stood letting his chair clatter to the floor.
"What!"
-OMT-
Naruto looked at Jiriaya innocently as she mastered the first step of the rasengan with ease. Going through the entire bag of water balloons before they had even settled for a late lunch.
Jiraiya had swiftly moved onto the rubber balls but Naruto promised to get to them the next morning allowing the sage time to his 'research'.
Naruto had some things to take care of and could practically feel Kisame in the vicinity. In her past he had always been Itachi's partner but she had prevented the Uchiha from being recruited into the organization this time around.
So Naruto took her and Jiraiya's bags and sealed them away while she occupied herself out and away from the hotel room. She found herself settled into a small tea shop nibbling on some sweets. Naruto kept her eyes focused on the street while contemplating what to do and how to explain to Jiraiya the situation she was in.
She needed him to believe her crazy words because when he took her for the three year training trip she was planning to use the time to systematically destroy the Akatsuki while they were unaware and still pretty weak against her.
She had to do it before they started collecting Bijuu and that would give her a three year time limit. Sadly number one on her list had to be Nagato. If she could not convince the guy to their side she would have no choice. His rinnegan was a huge issue and she could not risk Mandara or Obito getting ahold of his eyes.
The problem would be keeping Jiraiya from getting killed. Naruto sighed softly leaning forward and focusing on her tea. She shivered as an angry force breezed past her location and glanced outside.
She could see Kisame with Sasori. It made sense to the blonde for them to be paired up. Orochimaru had been Sasori's original partner and without Itachi there must have lost interest in the group. From his old logs Naruto knew the snake bastard only stayed to see if they would acquire Itachi in the group so he could steal the teens body…even back then it didn't work out for him.
Then there was Kisame, they never recruited Itachi so he might have had a different less powerful partner that couldn't hold the position in this organization. Naruto ignored the hungry call of the man's blade and stiffened when both missing nin stopped at the tea shop. Naruto unzipped her jacket and slipped it off. She pushed her hair to the side letting it fall to curl around her chin, her bindings were visible through the netted shirt she wore underneath but when the two men stepped into the shop their eyes glanced easily over the blonde girl.
They asked several people in the shop if they had seen a blonde boy with an older white haired man in the village. When Kisame went up to Naruto's table to ask that of her she only raised a brow.
"No, I haven't seen a blonde boy with an older white haired man." It was an easy comment and she made it seem like she lost interest in the conversation focusing back on her drink. Neither shinobi looked deeper into the issue, soon turning and leaving the establishment altogether.
Naruto didn't relax till she could sense both of their chakra signatures leaving the vicinity of the bustling town. She was swift in her movements returning back to the room and even double checking everything in and around the hotel room to ensure they didn't leave anything in there as a surprise.
Finally she pulled out her fuinjutsu supplies and set about placing privacy seals around the room. She needed it secured and ready for when she and the pervy sage needed to have their little talk.
It took several hours and Naruto was eating when Jiraiya came into the room drunk and giggling. The blonde sighed and eyed her mentor who really had a peculiar method of information gathering. Then again it was effective so who was she to complain.
Though upon seeing an awake Naruto staring him down Jiraiya sobered up almost immediately. What threw him was the presence of the privacy seals pressed into most of the exposed walls of the room.
"So, we had a problem today pervy sage." Naruto's blue gaze was serious but she was in the middle of eating and refused to stop on his account. "I ran into two members of the Akatsuki, they had been looking for me stopping at our hotel room. They gave up though when they couldn't find a blonde boy traveling with an old white haired Pervert." Naruto had swallowed her food down and looked to her sensei. Jiraiya looked as if he had been struck and was in her face in an instant looking her over before freezing.
"How do you know about the akatsuki?" Jiraiya was panicked he had even left a seal on Naruto's clothes to alert him should she get into trouble. He eased down though realizing they did not know she was a female, she had not been in physical danger or his seal would have alerted him.
"Oi pervy sage, it's pretty rude to manhandle a future hokage ya know." Naruto snickered as Jiraiya calmed down and scoffed.
"You seem so confident that you will get the hat kid." Jiraiya eased down and Naruto's piercing gaze met his own.
"Oh I know it will happen, after all I've already lived through it once before." Jiraiya froze looking down at the blonde confused.
"Lived through it? The hell are you talking about." He was suspicious of his student who only seemed amused.
"Let me formally introduce myself to my once again sensei. I am Naruto Uzumaki, the seventh hokage of the hidden leaf village. The last student of the great toad sage Jiraiya, and daughter of both Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze. I along with my second in command and right hand man, Shikamaru Nara saved the world once. Not that there was much to save by that point if we are being honest." Naruto sighed softly as Jiraiya grew more pale with each ticking second.
"The world was so close to oblivion that I just had to drag Shika with me back in time so we could fix it all. Ya know." Naruto was beaming and Jiraiya stared the girl down but settled himself down.
"Start from the beginning and don't leave out a damn thing kid." Jiraiya focused intently listening to Naruto talk endlessly a life story of suffering, sorrow, loneliness and triumph.
It struck Jiraiya and even he could not deny the story, despite how absurd it was to hear. Naruto was confident it so much so she even brought up his stories as proof. The blonde knew every detail about his current book he was writing, most of it he hadn't even given to his publisher.
He believed her and now they had plans to make and he had questions to ask.
"The hokage obviously doesn't know or he would have been pressured to make a lot of rash decisions concerning you long ago." Naruto gave a soft hum in response and sighed before Naruto looked up to him.
"Pa knows, he's been a good help in all this and keeping an eye in you for me." Naruto was small in size but the former hokage would not be looked down on.
"Now. Let's get granny Tsunade and you make plans for us to covertly take down this stupid group before they start their bullshit." The blonde was grinning and Jiraiya could only agree to follow her lead.
-OMT-
When Naruto returned to the village with Tsunade and Jiraiya the toad sage was relentlessly teasing his former teammate. Tsunade had made a bet against the blonde teen and lost within twenty four hours. She had been stunned to see the girl master the rasengan so swiftly and it made the slug princess more interested in returning to the village than anything.
She also was not able to try and face off Ofrochimaru on her own as both Naruto and Jiraiya had been wary of anything she handed over. They also stuck to her like white on rice.
In the end Naruto herself asked why she was trying to hide a meeting with the snake sannin. Tsunade had been surprised but with Jiraiya the spymaster as the girl's mentor she truly was not surprised.
In the end Naruto took down Orochimaru's assistant Kabuto and it was vicious, bloody and eye opening. Naruto was not one to hold back and the girl refused to let Tsunade hold herself back.
Almost like a push in the right direction and in the battle against Orochimaru Naruto had snuck through and did the deed for both her and Jiraiya. Naruto said she refused to leave someone who had attempted killing the third.
Naruto had ripped out her former teammates heart and crushed it. It had been nearly as brutal as her ripping out his subordinates throat. It had made one thing clear to the slug princess. Naruto had what it took to take on a position of hokage in the future.
The skills, the grit and determination and the pragmatic outlook. There was no hokage that got to their position without blood on their hands.
Tsunade veered off heading toward the hokage tower and Naruto slipped away to inform Shikamaru of what she had accomplished.
Things were falling right into their long plan, but it was going to start picking up soon. The blonde grit her teeth running toward the Nara compound, she had three years to accomplish her goal.
It was time to take out some of the Akatsuki.
Thank you for reading!